Late Night
by corazongitano
Summary: Jeff surprises Annie in more than one way.


_Click. Click Click Click Click._

The sound of her fingers hitting the keyboard echoed throughout the small apartment. Late into the evening, Annie found herself composing an email that she couldn't seem to word properly. As glided towards the backspace key once again, frustration in the form of a headache overtook her. She could blame it on a lingering hangover from New Year's Eve bar-hopping with Britta, Troy, and Abed, but an email from a former hippie boyfriend had shown up in her inbox and it had left her unsettled.

Vaughn?

They had spoken to each other briefly through text messages after their break-up, but becoming a hacky-sack legend had made him difficult to get a hold of, so it wasn't a surprise when they drifted apart. Delaware was a world away, so visiting had always been out of the question, even if they had stayed together in the first place. What could he possibly have to say to her now? I know people get all nostalgic the first of the year, but this was the last person she expected to hear from.

Despite this, it had been a relatively relaxing winter break. She had spent a large portion of her free-time watching holiday specials with Abed and Troy, baking with Shirley and NYE outfit shopping with Britta. Pierce was away on "business", and Jeff… Well they actually hadn't heard from Jeff in a while. He had mentioned something about visiting his mother for a couple of days to clear things up and the rest of the study group decided it would be best to let Jeff bring anything important on his own. He didn't exactly react well to questions about his family or his past, but they were sure that he'd eventually discuss something with one of them and everyone else would hear it through the grapevine. What had upset her was the fact that Jeff had obviously making an effort at screening everyone's phone calls.

Carefully closing her laptop, she put her hair into a messy ponytail and looked into her mirror. Only 21, she felt wrinkles already settling into her porcelain skin. Was that even possible? Frowning, she remember her resolution from last year. Annie Edison would no longer let a guy frazzle her nerves. Jeff had done a pretty good job of that throughout half of her sophomore year and she wasn't going to let it happen again with someone miles and miles away.

_BRMM. BRMM._

You'll have to pardon the cliché, but speaking of the devil himself.

**Jeff Winger: Tell me you're still up.**

Parts of her knew better than to answer a late night text from a guy who hasn't spoken a word to anyone in days, but as she quietly sighed to herself, she typed out.

**Yes, but barely. Britta's a little bit of a party type isn't she? **

Ten seconds later.

**Annie, you went out with the hipster and you let her get you drunk? BOO.**

Sometimes her best response to a Jeff Winger comment was absolute silence. He couldn't avoid all contact with the study group for days and then expect to soften her up first. She wouldn't be his Switzerland anymore. She wouldn't sweet-talk everyone else into forgiving him, and thus giving him control of their friendship all over again. Throwing her phone on her bed, she walked out of her room and towards the bathroom.

A warm shower would be a good defense against any urges to text him back.

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, the familiar scent of lavender covered her skin and she was wrapped in a warm towel. As she brushed her hair, curiosity started to get the best of her and she reached for her phone.<p>

**Okay. I know, uncalled for. I apologize for that and for being MIA lately.**

Hm. That's right he's sorry. But she wasn't going to be the one to hold a emergency group meeting on account of his lack of consideration for others. He'd have to send another mass apology text to everyone if he wanted a good start to the new school year.

**Just do one thing for me babe?**

**What do you need me to fix now Winger?**

* * *

><p>Sitting quietly in his heated Lexus, Jeff smiled to himself.<p>

_Click. Click. Click._

**I've been wanting to see you. Put on a coat and come outside. We're going for a drive.**


End file.
